Enjoy sci-fi series that play with two timelines? Have a special spot for cults and mysteries? Meet Archive 81. The multiple genre-straddling show stars Mamoudou Athie as Dan Turner, an archivist who takes a gig restoring a collection of damaged videotapes from the '90s. He gets far more than he bargained for, drawn into an investigation of a mysterious cult and a young woman who may or may not be dead. A supernatural thriller with horror, mystery, noir and sci-fi seeped into its creepy atmosphere, Archive 81 has it all.

Germany's answer to Stranger Things deliberately takes its time before stepping into completely compelling and original places. A sci-fi noir, Dark folds time travel, conspiracies and estranged families into a generation-spanning story kicked off by a child's disappearance. If those kinds of meticulously-crafted layers are what you're after in your storytelling, settle in. All three seasons of Dark's meditative look at time travel and its effect on human nature are waiting to hit you at full force.

It wouldn't be a best list without Stranger Things. If somehow you've missed the Duffer Brothers' ode to '80s horror and Steven Spielberg, things are about to get tubular. We follow El, a near-mute girl who was the subject of scientific experiments. She develops telekinetic powers, which she uses to fend off monsters who invade from a frightening alternative dimension. The world of Indiana, Hawkins, is lovingly detailed for anyone in need of an '80s nostalgia hit and the misfit characters, played by a stellar young cast, are part of everything that makes this show a tour de force.

Full disclosure: Netflix sadly canceled Travelers after its third season, but this tightly plotted sci-fi out of Canada does manage to end with an ambitious bang. We start with Marcy, a disabled woman who's beaten up after helping a friend escape thugs. She dies -- then comes back to life. This strong character-driven sci-fi reveals its secrets in clever ways, following operatives from the future tasked with preventing the collapse of society but also navigating the tricky territory of living a double life.

While Charlie Brooker's bleak tech anthology series can be hit and miss, at its best, Black Mirror packs its mini-movies with an exploration of futuristic technological ideas through painfully human stories. One of those is San Junipero, following two women in the '80s (cue banging soundtrack) as they fall for each other in ways they couldn't do in their "real" lives outside the beach city. The tech aspect is revealed with genius timing and, in general, the show explores the consequences of our plugged-in lives in disturbing and occasionally uplifting ways.

Talk about having the world against you as a teenager. The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself follows 16-year-old Nathan Byrne, a young witch whose father is the most dangerous "blood witch" alive. For his whole life, Nathan has been monitored by a council of witches who fear he'll turn out like ol' pops. Featuring a modern day witch hunt and plenty of self-realization, this British fantasy is at the top of its genre and surprisingly beautiful amid the bouts of blood.

One of the best TV shows of 2021 was an animated series. That's right -- if you're animation-unfriendly, Arcane is the show to change your mind. The action-adventure introduces us to the steampunk world of Piltover and Zaun, two cities grinding on opposing values and fortunes. Then there's Violet (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell), two sisters torn apart by tragedy and fighting to survive. Arcane is the kind of moving portrait that gets under your skin on a par with Pixar. The characters will draw you to tears. A must-watch.

This fantasy based on Jeff Lemire's comic book is the definition of weird and wonderful. Sweet Tooth follows Gus (a stellar Christian Convery), a half-deer half-human child, who lives a sheltered life in the forest with his dad Pubba (Will Forte). Events relating to The Great Crumble, a viral pandemic, sweep Gus into an adventure branching down mysterious, action-filled and highly entertaining paths. Echoes with real-world struggles can be heard in the treetops of this immersive, riveting fantasy world. Genre fans settle in for this fantastic ride.

We weren't ready for The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Canceled after one season, the critically acclaimed fantasy series is, well, a gem. A prequel to the 1982 Jim Henson film, the series returns to the planet Thra, where three Gelflings inspire a rebellion against the absolutely diabolic Skeksis. The puppet design and performances -- from a stunning cast including Taron Edgerton, Anya Taylor-Joy and Nathalie Emmanuel -- sneak up on you. You'll find yourself deeply invested in the poor, oppressed Gelflings' lives, hurt just as much as the puppets whenever one of their own is harmed. A full-on fantasy epic, built with love, care and staggering detail.

Not every chapter of this horror anthology leaps out with claws bared, but the best of the bunch unfurl delightful gothic flourishes. Guillermo del Toro introduces each of the episodes of the series, co-writing the two best -- Lot 36 and The Murmuring. The eight episodes harness the talents of different directors, bringing their own take to the horror realm.

From the auteur who brought us The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor, comes another slow-burning horror series that'll haunt you for days. Midnight Mass is Mike Flanagan's latest creation, a meticulously crafted mystery spanning seven hourlong episodes. Riley Flynn, still paying the price for a drunk driving accident four years ago, returns home to Crockett Island, where the arrival of a charismatic new priest coincides with astonishing miracles around the town. Pregnant with a sense of foreboding and dread, Midnight Mass is an eloquent interrogation of faith, with horrifying supernatural monsters along for the ride.

Mike Flanagan's The Haunting of Hill House, loosely based on Shirley Jackson's novel of the same name, weaves its horror into a deeply affecting story about a broken family. Fractured after growing up in a haunted house, the Crains can't ignore their past and must do what you never want to do: Go back down those dark corridors. The impressive set-pieces will please horror fans, but it's the sad story of the Crains that will, yes, haunt you for days. Good news: The second chapter of the anthology, The Haunting of Bly Manor, is a similarly affecting Gothic romance.

If you were a fan of Howard Overman's insanely entertaining Misfits, Crazyhead might be where you want to head next. Overman's follow-up show, which first aired in the UK in 2016, is a comedy-horror starring Cara Theobold (the voice of Tracer in Overwatch) and Susan Wokoma as unlikely friends who bond over being able to see demons gallivanting about in normal society. Their brilliant double-act is at the heart of this disturbingly entertaining series, featuring exorcisms, accidental roommate killings and demon fathers. Yeah, you need to watch this for yourself.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a runaway winner. Its unique concept: A woman who has autism becomes a lawyer in South Korea, elevated by her brilliant and unexpected ways of approaching cases. An inspiring heroine, Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin) brings extraordinary representation to the screen. Charming, heartwarming, as radiant as the sun -- you could watch this show for days.

Denmark's bleaker answer to the West Wing. Borgen is the epitome of sophisticated political dramas, chronicling the inspiring fictional underdog story of how, against all odds, Birgitte Nyborg Christensen (Sidse Babett Knudsen) becomes the first female prime minister of Denmark. Produced by the same company behind The Killing, Borgen is four influential seasons of one woman's complicated, intricate rise to power.

Margaret Qualley is the heart of this miniseries based on a memoir. Maid follows Alex, a young mother trying to support her daughter by working as a housecleaner. Alex's task is made slightly more difficult thanks to an abusive relationship, poverty, homelessness and more. But it's not all heavy subject matter, with light and charming moments that give Maid an extra sheen. Not only a moving story expertly crafted, Maid cements Qualley as a major star.

How do you make chess the thrilling centerpiece of a coming-of-age tale? You shake it into a cocktail of stylish visuals, a rocking '60s soundtrack and the magnetic Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon, one of the youngest (and few female) chess players in the world. The fictional story in The Queen's Gambit, named after a chess opening, follows her rise from an orphanage to toppling the best players in the world -- as long as her drug addiction and bags of wine bottles don't get in the way.

This miniseries is based on a memoir and told primarily in Yiddish with painstaking detail. Almost a thriller, Unorthodox follows 19-year-old Esty Shapiro, who escapes her arranged marriage in an ultra-Orthodox community in Brooklyn. She ends up in Berlin, exploring a new life outside the strict beliefs she grew up in, but her community doesn't let go that easily. Featuring a stunning performance from Shira Haas, Unorthodox lets you take a step into a relentlessly compelling world.

This miniseries carves itself firmly into the Western genre, with a female-led cast boasting Merritt Weaver and Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery. With its 1880s New Mexico vistas swirling around it, Godless draws up the violence in a tale that sees an outlaw on the run from his boss seek refuge with an outcast widower. Oh, Jeff Daniels is in this too, if the show wasn't enticing enough.

Sumptuous is one word to describe the production values of The Crown's drama about the British monarchy. Following Queen Elizabeth II's life, starting in her 20s with a powerhouse performance from Claire Foy, The Crown captures the grand workings of historical events from deep within Buckingham Palace. Figures like Winston Churchill, Princess Margaret, Margaret Thatcher and more are treated with the highest cinematic sophistication. A fifth and sixth season are on their way to round out your knowledge of the queen's reign into the early 21st century.

This miniseries, based on a true story of rape, deftly navigates its disturbing and tricky subject matter with the help of a remarkable performance from Kaitlyn Dever. She plays Marie, a teenager who's charged with lying about being raped, but of course it's more complicated than that. Toni Collette and Merritt Wever team up as whip-smart detectives who see what others fail to, adding another layer to Unbelievable's delicate, powerfully moving triumph.

Ava DuVernay's When They See Us comes under the tough but essential viewing banner. It depicts the real-life events of the 1989 Central Park jogger case, involving five male suspects of color who were falsely accused of rape and assault. Not only sensitively drawing the humanity of the boys into focus, When They See Us demands outrage at the injustice of systemic racism.

Four fascinating seasons of The Sinner await to be cracked open, each one focused on a murder committed by an unlikely offender in even stranger circumstances. Season 1 follows Jessica Biel's Cora, who stabs a man to death on a beach in a sudden frenzy, but has no idea why. It's up to Bill Pullman's Detective Ambrose to unravel the shockingly disturbing events embedded in her psyche that lead to her being triggered.

This series is loved by many (and Netflix loves you for it), but in case you haven't heard what all the fuss is about, Money Heist is, yep, about a heist. The mastermind doing Ocean's Eleven-level prep work with equally satisfying reveals is The Professor. He's got banks in his sights and we see how his intricate plans come together with slick flashbacks, time-jumps and even an unreliable narrator. This is captivating TV with a distinct Spanish identity -- don't let the subtitles put you off.

The first two seasons of this mockumentary series burst onto Netflix with a potent combination of potty humor and social commentary. A parody of true crime documentaries such as Netflix's own Making a Murderer, American Vandal follows the aftermath of a high school prank gone wrong. After 27 faculty cars are left fatally vandalized with grievous phallic images, it's up to a couple of sophomores to crack the crime, before the wrong person is expelled for good. Yep, this is a satire. But it weaves a surprisingly engrossing mystery that creates an accurate bigger picture of contemporary high school life. A hefty achievement.

This miniseries is from a couple of years ago, but in case you missed it, it's definitely worth checking out. In the vein of The Sinner, Alias Grace steps back into its young female protagonist's past to figure out why she commits murder, of which she has no memory. An adaptation of a Margaret Atwood novel, the show stars a hypnotic Sarah Gadon as Irish immigrant Grace, navigating a turbulent life as a servant for a family in colonial Toronto. Partly based on a true story, this isn't a straightforward mystery with straightforward answers and that's what makes it all the more captivating.

David Fincher directs a stash of episodes in this psychological crime thriller's two-season run (the third is on indefinite hold), so meticulous visuals and captivating storylines are a given. Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) is a special agent in the FBI, sent to interview serial killers in prison to build a profile of what makes them tick. Cameron Britton as real-life serial killer Ed Kemper is absolutely chilling. Mindhunter is smarter and richer than your average crime show, somehow growing with its complex characters. It would be a shame if the third season didn't happen (although that seems to be the case).